Oh Nursing, How I Love You.

Oops, I forgot about this blog for awhile...But I've had stuff going on, forgive me.  First of all, Otis is here!  He came December 16th at 33wks and 4days.  Read all about it here.  He stayed in the NICU for four days and then was discharged just in time for Christmas!! 

Things have been going really well, he's a good sleeper and overall very mellow.  He barely opens an eye when his big sister screams an inch from his face.  But the best thing is that he has taken to breast feeding like a champ!  The first week was hard, we supplemented with formula while he was in the hospital and I had to pump every three hours to make sure my milk came in.  It did.  He still didn't get latching on though, so I was using bottles.  I hated it.  I hated having to pump, I hated the whole washing twenty pieces of plastic and sterilizing them and then being able to finally feed the poor kid. 

But now, almost two weeks later, Otis is latching on and feeding.  Sigh of relief!  It is the most amazing thing ever.  I didn't nurse Ingrid, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything.  We certainly bonded just fine, and I always rocked with her when I gave her a bottle, she never was just given a bottle to hold by herself.  But...this is different.  Feeling every little tug, knowing I'm making this milk just for him, when he needs it.  I feel a lot more emotional about it than I thought I would.  To me, nursing this time around was just going to be cheaper.  But I will be sitting there on the couch with Otis attached to me and I just smile.  I don't know if it's just crazy hormones or what, but it makes me feel so happy that I can do this for him, I can nourish him. 

I love that I can just hold him and feed him without any extra preperation.  No bottles to mix, formula to measure, nothing to fumble around with.  At 2am when he starts squawking, I just lift him from his bassinet and feed him, no big deal.  If we're out and about and he gets hungry, I can feed him, whether I forgot the diaper bag or not.   Cheap, convenient, and it makes me happy.  Can't go wrong with that, can you?  I just wish I had known what I was missing with Ingrid...

Sewing and Hormones and Toddlers, Oh My!

Yesterday was a hormonal one...When Brendan went to leave for work I just started crying.  For some reason it felt like too much work to be at home with Ingrid all day long (and night, too, he had to work until past her bedtime) so I just broke down.  And being the male he is, Brendan didn't say much and just left for work with a lame "Hope you have a good day."  Ingrid and I just seem to be butting heads lately, as I am really tired and not sleeping well at night, and not getting any rest during the day thanks to her bugging me the second I lay down.  And she just wants to play and wonders why the hell Mama can't get up off the couch for two seconds... 

Luckily I was able to turn it around.  I took a cat nap on the couch while Ingrid watched Sesame Street and then we got up and went to the indoor play place.  We stayed for three hours, and would've stayed longer if they only sold lunch.  I get the whole food allergy thing, but seriously, if you can't bring outside food, then you have to serve lunch!  Hungry toddlers are everywhere, not to mention their preggo mamas.

Anyway, Ingrid got to run around and I got to sit and drink coffee.  There was a German speaker's playgroup going on so there were about ten women speaking German all around us.  I swear I am a magnet for the Germans!  Every time I go to a park I hear someone speaking German.  Ingrid was listening to them and knew it wasn't English so when I would ask her a question she'd respond in nonsense, I guess thinking she was speaking German!  It was pretty funny.  I told her the words I knew, but it's been awhile...

When we got home I had an email that the Blue House was looking for new items, so I set out to make my lists and get stuff ready to drop off there.  Ingrid once again got out the felt box and played while I cut more garlands out, and after she went to bed I cut out more things to sew.  Today is going to be a PJ day, as Brendan will take the car for another job interview and we'll be home sewing.  Hooray!

He told me hopefully by next week we'll know where we're going.  I sure hope so, I'm getting awfully nesty, wanting to wash baby clothes and set up an area for the little guy.  Right now everything is in boxes under the basement stairs.  I'd like to see tiny things hanging up, and baskets of tiny cloth diapers!  Patience...